A Friend

(Carol Elaine Faivre-Scott)

Each of us has a hidden place
Somewhere deep within ourselves;
A place where we go to get away,
To think things through,
To be alone, to be ourselves.

This unique place, where we confront our deepest feelings,
Becomes a storehouse of all our hopes,
All our needs, all our dreams,
And even our unspoken fears.
It encompasses the essence of who we are and what we want to be.

But now and then, whether by chance or design,
Someone discovers a way into that place we thought was ours alone.
And we allow that person to see, to feel and to share
All the reason, all the uncertainty
And all the emotion we've stored up there.

That person adds new perspective to our hidden realm,
Then quietly settles down in his own corner of our special place,
Where a bit of himself will stay forever.
And we call that person a friend.

To My Friend

I am a different person,
a better person,
since we first became friends.

Your honesty helps me
to see my weaknesses,
and your support helps me
to turn them into strengths.

Thank you
for not saying the things
you think I want to hear,
but for saying the things
I need to know.

You're one of the few people
I trust when you tell me
that I've done well,
because you are one of the few
who will tell me
when I could do better.

You challenge me
to be the best I can be . . .
by accepting and appreciating me,
you've helped me
learn to accept
and appreciate myself.

Thank you for being my friend!

People

Some people come into our lives and quickly go.
Some people move our souls to dance.
They awaken us to understanding with the passing whisper of
their wisdom.
Some people make the sky more beautiful to gaze upon.
They stay in our lives for a while,
leave footprints on our hearts,
and we are never, ever the same.

If one day...

If one day you feel like crying . . .
Call me.
I don't promise that I will make you laugh,
But I can cry with you.

If one day you want to run away . . .
Don't be afraid to call me.
I don't promise to ask you to stop . . .
But I can run with you.

If one day you don't want to listen to anyone . . .
Call me.
I promise to be there for you.
And I promise to be very quiet.

But if one day you call . . .
And there is no answer . . .
Come fast to see me.
Maybe I need you.

Why are you so special to me ?

Because I know I can depend on you.
Because you know when to laugh at me and when to take me seriously.
Because you sense the feelings behind the words.
Because you always see something positive in me.
Because you are never fake but are always honest with me.
Because you are a giver not only of your time but of yourself.
Because you are a rare combination of strength and sensitivity.
Because you know me better than most people.
Because you are not afraid to step out into the unknown.
And most of all because I have the privilege of calling you friend.

We're different...
but meant to be friends

(Bobette Bryan)

That special something about you
touches my heart again and again.

I can't fathom, I simply can't begin,
to imagine life without you.

Whatever you do, remember that
you have a friend in me
that will always be true.

A True Friend

A true friend is one who
Knows you as you really are,
Understands where you've been,
Accepts who you've becomes,
And still gently invites you to grow.

Friendship is...

Sharing openly,
Laughing often,
Trusting always,
Caring deeply.

A River

Life is like a river which
Flows through many turns
And changes, but even
When that river takes us
In different directions,
We will always find each other again--
Just around the next bend;
For our friendship is FOREVER,
Our friendship runs strong and deep.

Portrait of a Friend

I can't give solutions to all of life's problems, doubts, or fears.
But I can listen to you, and together we will search for answers.

I can't change your past with all it's heartache and pain,
nor the future with it's untold stories.
But I can be there now when you need me to care.

I can't keep your feet from stumbling.
I can only offer my hand that you may grasp it and not fall.

Your joys, triumphs, successes, and happiness are not mine;
Yet I can share in your laughter.

Your decisions in life are not mine to make, nor to judge;
I can only support you, encourage you, and help you when you ask.

I can't prevent you from falling away from friendship,
from your values, from me.
I can only pray for you, talk to you and wait for you.

I can't give you boundaries which I have determined for you,
But I can give you the room to change,
room to grow, room to be yourself.

I can't keep your heart from breaking and hurting,
But I can cry with you and help you pick up the pieces
and put them back in place.

I can't tell you who you are.
I can only love you and be your friend.

What I've Learned About Friendship

I've learned--
that we don't have to change friends if we understand that friends change.

I've learned--
that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I've learned--
that true friendship continues to grow, even over the longest distance.

I've learned--
that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I've learned--
that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

I've learned--
that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down, will be the ones to help you get back up.

I've learned--
that two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.

I've learned--
that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you...you will find the strength to help.

I've learned--
that the people you care about most in life are taken from you too soon.

It's the thought that counts...

Write one of these poems on a card and give it as a gift along with an empty box.

A Gift of Love

This is a very special gift
That you can never see.
The reason it's so special
It's just for you from me.

Whenever you are lonely,
Or ever feeling blue,
You only have to hold this gift
And know I think of you.

You never can unwrap it.
Please leave the ribbon tied.
Just hold the box close to your heart.
It's filled with LOVE inside.

Friendship Gift

I took an ordinary box
As empty as can be.
I filled it with a special gift
And wrapped it carefully.

But please don't ever open it
Just leave the ribbon tied.
And hold it tightly near your heart
Because my love for you's inside!

All I Need to Know About Life I Learned From My Girl Friends

Good times are even better when they're shared.

A good long talk can cure almost anything.

Everyone needs someone with whom to share their secrets.

Listening is just as important as talking.

An understanding friend is better than a therapist; and cheaper too!

Laughter makes the world a happier place.

Friends are like wine; they get better with age.

Sometimes you just need a shoulder to cry on.

Great minds think alike, especially when they are female!

When it comes to "bonding," females do it better.

YOU ARE NEVER TOO OLD FOR SLUMBER PARTIES!!!!

Girls just want to have fun.

It's important to make time to do 'girl things'.

Calories don't count when you are having lunch (or any other food) with your girl friends.

You can never have too many shoes.

GEMS MAY BE PRECIOUS, BUT FRIENDSHIP IS PRICELESS!!!!!

Sand or Stone

Two friends were walking through the desert. At some point they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand:
"TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE."
They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to go for a swim. The one who had been slapped started to drown, but his friend saved him. After he recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone:
"TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE."
The one who had first slapped and later saved his friend said, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, you write on a stone, why?"
His friend replied: "When a friend hurts us we should write it down in sand where the winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when a friend does something good for us, we should engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase it."

Real Friends

In kindergarten your idea of a good friend was the person who let you have the red crayon when all that was left was the ugly black one.

In first grade your idea of a good friend was the person who went to the bathroom with you and held your hand as you walked through the scary halls.

In second grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you stand up to the class bully.

In third grade your idea of a good friend was the person who shared their lunch with you when you forgot yours on the bus.

In fourth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who was willing to switch square dancing partners in gym so you wouldn't have to be stuck do-si-do-ing with Nasty Nick.

In fifth grade your idea of a friend was the person who saved a seat at the back of the bus for you.

In sixth grade your idea of a friend was the person who went up to Nick, your new crush, and asked them to dance with you, so that if they said no you wouldn't have to be embarrassed.

In seventh grade your idea of a friend was the person who let you copy the social studies homework from the night before.

In eighth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you pack up your stuffed animals, but didn't laugh at you when you finished and broke into tears.

In ninth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who would go to a party thrown by a senior so you wouldn't wind up being the only freshman there.

In tenth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who changed their schedule so you would have someone to sit with at lunch.

In eleventh grade your idea of a good friend was the person who gave you rides in their new car, convinced your parents that you shouldn't be grounded, consoled you when you broke up with Nick [or Glenn], and found you a date to the prom.

In twelfth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you pick out a college/university, assured you that you would get into that college/university, helped you deal with your parents, who were having a hard time adjusting to the idea of letting you go.

At graduation your idea of a good friend was the person who was crying on the inside, but managed the biggest smile one could give as they congratulated you.

The summer after twelfth grade your idea of a good friend was the person who helped you clean up the bottles from that party, helped you sneak out of the house when you just couldn't deal with your parents, assured you that, now that you and Nick were back together, you could make it, through anything, helped you pack up for university, and just silently hugged you as you looked through blurry eyes at eighteen years of memories you were leaving behind, and finally on those last days of childhood, went out of their way to give you reassurance that you would make it in college as well as you had these past 18 years, and most importantly, sent you off to college knowing you were loved.

Now your idea of a good friend is still the person:
who gives you the better of the two choices,
holds your hand when you're scared,
helps you fight off those who try to take advantage of you,
thinks of you at times when you are not there,
reminds you of what you have forgotten,
helps you put the past behind you,
but understands when you need to hold on to it a little longer,
stays with you so that you have confidence,
goes out of their way to make time for you,
helps you clear up your mistakes,
helps you deal with pressure from others,
smiles for you when they are sad,
helps you become a better person, and,
most importantly, loves you!

Real Friendship

Are you tired of all those sissy 'friendship' poems that sound good but are not even close to reality? Well, here are some promises that really speaks to true friendship:

When you are sad--I will help you get drunk and plot revenge against the sorry bastard who made you sad.
When you are blue--I will try to dislodge whatever is choking you.
When you smile--I will know you finally got laid.
When you are scared--I will rag on you about it every chance I get.
When you are worried--I will tell you horrible stories about how much worse it could be and to quit whining.
When you are confused--I will use little words.
When you are sick--Stay the hell away from me until you are well again. I don't want whatever you have.
When you fall--I will point and laugh at your clumsiness.

This is my oath . . . I pledge it till the end.
"Why?" you may ask . . .because you are my 'friend'.

Send this to ten of your closest friends, then get depressed because you can only think of 9.

Remember: A friend will help you move . . . a really good friend will help you move a body. Let me know if I ever need to bring a shovel.